Process Safety Management Implementation / Augmentation:

Most of the industries get satisfied with good Workplace Safety performance. They get surprise when some Incident happens.

Process Safety management focus on Prevention of Incidents and Sustainability of Safety Management. It is just like Technical Function of the company. It encompasses Technology, Facility and People competency.

It deals with :

·         What can go wrong ?

·         How likely is it ?

·         What are the impacts ?

The Summary of these elements are mentioned below:

1.   Process Safety Information : This is also known as Process Knowledge. Comprehensive Documentation for Process knowledge throughout the Life Cycle of facility for safe operation & maintenance is the aim for this element. It mainly covers :

·         Equipment Design basis

·         Plant Design Basis / Technology

·         Hazards of process chemicals or materials

2.   Process Hazard Analysis: Systematic identification of inherent hazards in process or activity, Evaluate the consequences and likelihood of Incidents / Accidents, Dangerous occurrence / Hazardous scenarios and Assess the Risk against the company’s defined criteria.

·         What-If

·         Checklist

·         What-If / Checklist Analysis

·         Hazard and Operability Study (HAZOP)

·         Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA)

·         Fault Tree Analysis (FTA)

·         An appropriate equivalent methodology

3.   Operating Procedure (OP) & Safe Work Practices (SWP) :

• Operating Procedure (OP): provide a clear set of instructions in a sequential manner to perform the task safely including clear understanding of parameters for safe operation of the process for the operators.

          It should incorporate different process modes (Start up, Normal, Emergency), Operating limits, Health & Safety aspects for operator, Inbuilt Safety systems & its working.

• Safe Work Practices (SWP): provide a carefully planned system of procedures and/or permits involving checks and authorizations prior to doing non-routine work in process areas. Different work permits are:

·         Hot Work Permit (HWP)

·         Confined Space Entry / Vessel Entry Permit (VEP)

·         Lock Out Tag Out (LOTO)

·         Work at Height Permit

·         Line Break Permit

·         Permit to work on Electrical distribution system.

·         Excavation Permit

·         Heavy Lifting Equipment Movement permit

·         Specific area vehicle entry permit (VEP)

·         Access to process areas by unauthorized personnel

4.   Management of Change (MOC) :

Management of change (MOC) is a process for evaluating and controlling modifications carried out in Design of facility, Technology, Equipment, Process chemical, Operation / Activities prior to its actual execution and changes to facilities that affect a covered process. It helps to ensure that changes to a process do not inadvertently introduce new hazards or unknowingly increase the risk of existing hazards. Changes are thoroughly scrutinized prior to its implementation. MOC is essential to maintain or enhance the safety originally designed into a facility.

MOC procedures shall assure that the following considerations are addressed prior to any change:

1. The technical basis for the proposed change;
2. Impact of change on safety and health;
3. Modifications to operating procedures;
4. Necessary time period for the change;
5. Authorization requirements for the proposed change.

5.   Quality Assurance (QA) : 

 Quality assurance efforts mainly focus on Design, Procurement, Receipt & Installation considering following:

• Ensuring equipment meets Recognized and Generally Accepted Good Engineering Practice (RAGAGEP).
• Equipment should confirm to the applicable Codes, Standards and Regulations of the region.
• Assure that equipment is fabricated & designed in accordance with design specifications & is suitable for the process application for which it will be used.
• Safety requirements are established during Delivery, Storage & Transportation as per specifications.
• Appropriate checks and inspections shall be performed to assure that equipment is installed properly and consistent with design specifications and the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Assure that maintenance materials, spare parts and equipment are suitable for the process application for which they will be used.

6. Pre Start-up Safety Review (PSSR)  :

The Pre Start-up Safety Review (PSSR) provides a final check of new and modified equipment to confirm that all appropriate elements of process safety have been assessed and addressed satisfactorily prior to using the process (commissioning, introducing hazardous chemicals, or introducing energy) and the facility is safe to operate, including:

• Legal compliances
• All relevant elements of PSM have been appropriately addressed (PSM assessment).
• Basic safety, health and environmental and Fire-Protection & Fire Prevention items have been checked during a physical inspection of the facility.
• Certify that the facility is safe to start up.

7. Mechanical Integrity (MI) :  

Mechanical Integrity (MI) is an implementation program which ensures that important equipment will be suitable for its intended use throughout the life of an operation. MI program focuses on maintaining and continuously improving a system integrity. MI program covers

1.   Maintenance strategies

2.   Selection of a PSM Critical Equipments

3.   Maintenance procedures

4.   Training to applicable personnel

5.   Inspection, Testing, Preventive Maintenance (ITPM)

6.   Spares Management

7.   Repairs & Changes

Mechanical Integrity (MI) programs vary according to industry, regulatory requirements, geography and plant culture.

8. Training & Performance :

The purpose of Training element is to increase employees & contractors awareness on process hazards, Hazards identification, Actions taken to operate & maintain facility within safe established limits, Emergency Planning, Preparedness and Response. Different types of trainings at different frequency for different groups of people by different trainers (Internal or External) with validation as per company’s requirement are considered. It covers Training Need Identification (TNI) of Programs, Training Objectives, Conducting Training, Evaluation of its effectiveness and improvements on it.  

9.Contractor Safety Management (CSM) :

The overall objective of CSM is to improve contractor safety performance by fulfilling :

·         To select the contractors based on their past safety performance & capability to meet organization safety requirements.

·         To identify & communicate the required involvement and accountability of contractor before contract is awarded.

·         To ensure that all site contractors are aligned with organization’s Safety Policy & Rules and are trained before work is started.

·         To ensure that all site contractors are in compliance with contractual agreement and safety performance is evaluated.

Active and ongoing participation of contractors are essential to enhance the company/ contractor relationship by clearly defining roles and responsibilities, establishing expectations and maintaining communication throughout the relationship. Following steps are performed in CSM :

1.   Contractor Pre-Qualification

2.   Contract Preparation / Purchase Requisition (PR)

3.   Contract Award

4.   Training and Orientation of Contractor team

5.   Contractor Work Management & Field Safety Audits

6.   Contractor Safety Performance Evaluation

10. Incident Investigation :

It includes :

·         Pre-planning

·         Initial response with notification to concerned team.

·         Initial incident reporting & its classification.

·         HSE investigation process (Team formation, Evidence identification, Collection and Management, Witness Interviews, Evidence analysis, Determination of Causal Factors and Root Causes, Recommendations, Report preparation)

·         Communication of the findings

·         Implementation of Recommendations and Follow-up system

·         Continuous improvement through Lessons Learned

11. Emergency Planning and Response :

It is a well-known fact that Accidents can occur in world class process safety maintaining facility also.

This element improves the speed and efficiency of response during any emergency (On-Site / Off-Site) and hence minimize the impacts of an incident. Planning part mainly focuses on readiness or preparedness (How to handle an incident before it happens?). Response part focuses on Actions taken by different groups during emergency to contain the situation within shortest time.

A Well-Practiced Emergency Plan covers :

• Mitigation of impact
• Termination of release and prompt control of emergency
• Compliance with regulations
• Activation of emergency action plan, including notification of and coordination of effort with appropriate emergency response organization
• Notification of affected personnel
• Notification of appropriate regulatory agencies
• Effective Evacuation (Escape and evacuation routes and plans)
• Resources Management
• Personnel accounting
• Rescue operations including medical assistance
• Designation of primary and alternate emergency control centres.
• Facility Clean-up, Disposal.
• Facility Restoration.

12. Auditing :

• Audit provides a measurement of compliance against established Process Safety Management Program, Safety Management System or Standards.
• It is required to achieve Process Safety Management (PSM) elements sustainable & continual progress by auditing each element.
• It’s a Validation & Verification process.
• Audit Criteria, Audit Scope and Audit findings vary with scale of organization, safety culture, level of implementation, Hazardous substances and processes handled, Human factor etc.
• Audits are key tools in the establishment, measurement, maintenance, and continuous improvement of process safety performance.

After reviewing the above Elements, How NEXA PSE will work for you to implement or augment the existing PSM system ?

NEXA PSE follows the internationally accepted Risk Based Process Safety guidelines.

NEXA PSE begins assignment by carrying out a GAP analysis to know where the facility stands from the PSM point of view. This will help to decide the forward path. After that training programs and workshops are arranged so that it will introduce PSM to all tiers of workforce.

Methodology include:

• PSM Gap Analysis
• PSM training (Overall and Element wise)
• Development of Priority wise Organogram for implementation
• Preparation of procedures for each element relevant to the Organization.
• Handholding of element implementation to custodian team
• Implementation of each element on small scale in plant/departments
• Revisiting the procedures in lieu of small-scale implementation experience
• Development of KPIs for PSM Element(s)
• Continuous follow up and maintaining the system
• Sustaining the PSM